


Pride

by Aidaran, StarTravel



Series: Deadly Sins [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Awkward Romance, Besotted Julian Bashir, Body Image, Cultural Differences, Deadly Sins Garak/Bashir Fest, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Mild on The Crack Though, deadly sins challenge, set in season 2, starfleet uniforms have way too much padding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-20 11:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18991855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aidaran/pseuds/Aidaran, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTravel/pseuds/StarTravel
Summary: Julian Bashir is quite certain he is not the cardassian beauty ideal. So he comes up with a plan to save face...--------Julian got kanar from Quark’s. He’s positive Quark overcharged him."Oh, so considerate of you. Maybe we could drink it now."“Yes, yes, that sounds like an excellent idea.” Julian pours them both quite generous glasses. Better start drinking early, so by the time of the rejection his bloodstream has turned into wine.Garak raises an eyebrow at that but doesn’t say anything.





	Pride

Starfleet uniforms have long come with padding in the shoulders through the waist, imitating the strong lines and muscles of the human ideal. Not that such an ideal was acknowledged anymore, but it still exists and everyone knows it. Some people dislike the shape, calling it vulgar, tacky and unflattering, but Julian’s always been rather fond of it. He is, after all, far too thin for what he'd consider attractive.

And then he realizes that if he spends the night with Garak he’d have to take them off and Garak would notice. It was one thing when his lovers were a part of Starfleet - they all knew about the padding and so any disappointment tends to be minimal - but Garak would be expecting someone as broad as he pretended to be.

Julian doesn’t realize it until Garak asks him to dinner instead of lunch. The flirting is real. Garak is interested in him!

The way he touched his shoulders when they first met did mean something. He's read all about cardassian flirting and this is _bold._ Like heavy and boring romance cardassian novels bold. But up until that point he'd thought Garak had not really meant it.

And now the first move had been done. He'll go to his quarters, and he’ll get in there and remove those vests and see all those scales and Garak will...

Garak will realize he is _thin._ He read enough kardassi literature to be quite certain getting wider and getting your ridges is a sign of being an adult for them. Not only is he incapable of turning wider, of course he doesn't have ridges. And not only is he not going to get wider, he’s pencil thin even by human standards. God knows what he’ll be by Cardassian ones.

The ridges he knows Garak at least can’t expect him to have. But his shoulders? He probably has no idea how much padding is in there.

He needs a plan. Turning off the lights? No, he'll eventually touch him and realize the truth. Getting him a bit drunk so he can't judge him? No, out of the question.

Maybe _he_ could get drunk, so the rejection doesn't hurt that much.

Maybe he could keep his shirt on and claim its standard human practice?

Still, the tactile part will be an issue. He's quite sure Garak wouldn't take it nicely if he asked to be without lights, with a shirt, and tying his hands. No, better scratch that plan too.

So much for his enhanced brain.

So slightly drunk to prepare for the rejection it is. How embarrassing.

He shows up at dinner still dressed as usual, wearing his most bulking shoulder pads. He at least wants a nice night before it all comes crashing down.

Garak prepared all sort of dishes and even served springwine.

Julian smiles a little as he sits down across him, trying to bury his nerves.

“Garak, you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble. Here, this is for you.”

Julian got kanar from Quark’s. He’s positive Quark overcharged him.

"Oh, so considerate of you. Maybe we could drink it now."

“Yes, yes, that sounds like an excellent idea.” Julian pours them both quite generous glasses. Better start drinking early, so by the time of the rejection his bloodstream has turned into wine.

Garak raises an eyebrow at that but doesn’t say anything.

“My dear doctor, did you get a chance to read that book of Cardassian poetry I lent you?”

"Oh yes. Terribly boring."

Maybe he can delay the inevitable by pushing him into a long tirade about literature.

“Really? I thought you would find the section of Turak’s erotic works particularly... edifying.” Garak says this with a smile so wide and sharp Julian nearly shivers.

Julian chokes on his kanar. He has no way out of this.

“Well, that part was certainly interesting.” Julian tugs on his collar a little and tries to focus on his meal and telling Garak about his patients. If he can stretch the conversation, eventually the alcohol will kick in.

"Which part, dear? there were many sequences. I particularly enjoy Karas and Herad. So evocative, don't you think?"

“Yes, the description of Herad’s body was ... quite illuminating for Cardassian beauty standards.” big, sturdy, heavy and full of muscles.

"Yes, I believe on that period of time being bulky was considered the masculine ideal."

“In that period of time, you say?” Julian raises an eyebrow hopefully. Maybe now they want everyone to be extremely thin. He’s never seen an extremely thin cardassian but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.

"Well, it is still the military ideal."  Garak says, because the universe is determined to break his heart.

“Oh. Of course. That makes sense. Strong soldiers and all that.” Julian gulps and takes another large sip of kanar.

Julian is torn because he feels confident Garak would like the Military ideal. He _was_ a secret agent after all.

"Now, dear, what do we say we go to the couch, so we can be a bit more comfortable. I read a lot about human customs for this kind of event."

Julian gulps but follows him to the couch. Maybe he can distract Garak with kisses and jokes and delay doing anything that would reveal his secret.

“I’ve always wanted to know what the ridges here feel like.” He touches his ears.

"Nothing stops you know from discovering that." Garak raises his eye ridges as a challenge. There's something wrong with Julian but he can't quit put his finger on it.

“Good, good.” Julian starts kissing along the ridges, angling his body so it’s kind of weirdly spread out, to make himself look buff.

"My turn now, dear." Garak turns him easily and touches his neck. Julian is pretty sure the lack of ridges must be disappointing.

Garak enjoys the new feeling of lean lines and smooth skin. He tugs on the top of his uniform zipper and Julian’s eyes widen.

"Something wrong, dear? Am I breaking any human ritual?"

“No, no. I just - aren’t we moving a bit fast? Maybe I should work on your shirt first.” _Or maybe not work on anything at all, and go to my quarters before I embarrass myself._ Julian realizes that doesn’t make sense the moment he says it.

"Is there an order? The older must strip first or something like that? My research showed nothing of the kind."

He gets up and removes his shirt and carefully folds it. Then he goes for his pants, as if it was something very normal to do. Julian is not sure if he's pale or red.

Julian just watches until Garak is finished. He definitely is a lot wider than he is, with scales and ridges in his arms, belly and legs. Truly more alluring than Julian had imagined. He nervously gets up. Now is the moment of truth. He starts with his boots and pants.

He looks at Garak, afraid of what he may encounter.

Garak raises an eye ridge as he takes a step closer.

“Do you need help with your shirt, dear?”

“No, no, it just takes a bit longer, because the uniforms are so bulky.” Julian can at least prepare him a little.

"I can help you." He smiles widely and leans over him, hands on his back.

Julian closes his eyes and lets Garak undo his shirt. It’s the moment of truth. The moment he'll see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Dear, why are you closing your eyes? You are beautiful."

Julian opens his eyes and glances down, expecting the padding stayed on like an undershirt.

"Garak, I... I am as far as possible to the cardassian ideal. I don't look as a military man."

“Yes, I’m well aware of that dear.” Garak sounds more confused than anything else as he peels off the undershirt, running a hand across Julian’s narrow shoulders.

"Didn't you give me those poems so I can know how you cardassians like people to be?"

"No, I gave them to you so you can get an idea of what's about to happen, dear. I happen to hate military men."

“Do you now? So what kind of man do you prefer?” Julian leans back, all long-limbed grace as he raises an eyebrow. Maybe he still can hope.

"Lean, tall, without ridges and not quite as grey as a cardassian. Do you happen to know somebody like that?"

“Hmm, you know I think I might.” Julian smiles a bit, leaning in. “And you know what his type is?”

“Based on how often he flirts with people new to the station, I’d say almost anyone.”

"That's only because a certain grey, bulky and ridged man never pays attention to me."

“Is it? Then you’ll have to let him correct that.”

"You really don't mind I look small without the padding?" He's not sure whether to make a little ball of himself or lay back suggestively.

“Dear, I knew about the padding in the Starfleet uniforms. I have had to tailor several you know. Some have more than others, but I was able to make an educated guess about what was you and what wasn’t.”

"I look like a twig without it."

"Perhaps, but I'm sure you won't break."

Julian can’t help smiling a bit at that.

“No, no, I won’t. I can promise you no one’s ever had complaints about me not being able to give as good as I could get.”

"I'd like to know more about it."

He leans over him and kisses him. This time, Julian doesn't try to look buff.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!


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